Saudi Arabia calls for intensifying cooperation efforts to ensure ‎more sustainable future for tourism sector

His Excellency Minister of Tourism Ahmed bin Aqeel Al-Khatib stressed the importance of strengthening cooperation with the aim of building a more sustainable future for the tourism sector in the G20 countries, facing the main issues that resulted from the pandemic, and collective work for the renaissance of the tourism sector, after the Covid-19 cast a heavy shadow on the sector, pointing to the importance of partnerships between the public and private sectors, and cooperation in shaping the future of tourism.

This came during the 2022 G20 Tourism Ministers’ Meeting hosted by Indonesia, in which ministers from around the world participated under the slogan “Together we recover stronger.”

His Excellency said: The tourism industry has been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, and cooperation is needed to achieve recovery to build a better future and to create a sector that is more capable of providing wealth and opportunities in places where they are most needed.

During the meeting, the G20 called for providing an institutional framework to move forward in supporting the tourism sector by strengthening policies related to micro, small and medium enterprises and societies, and focusing on three pressing issues: global health infrastructure, digital transformation, and sustainable energy.

It is noteworthy that the World Center for Sustainable Tourism is the first global coalition that brings together stakeholders from multiple countries to lead and accelerate the transition of the tourism sector to the zero-emissions stage; this leads to action to protect nature and support communities.

The Kingdom builds on a strong history of cross-sector cooperation. It was home to the first regional office of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), and last year it opened the Tourism Academy in Riyadh; to empower youth and provide them with the skills needed to thrive in the tourism sector.

He added that supporting the sector’s recovery through investment is a top priority for the Kingdom, as evidenced by the launch of the internationally acclaimed Tourism Pioneers Program, which is investing $100 million to train 100,000 young Saudis in various roles in the hospitality industry.

In November this year, the Kingdom will host the meetings of the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), which brings together leaders from all over the world to discuss and confront the major challenges affecting the sector.